Horner: “We support Mark’s decision”

Following the news that Mark Webber will retire from Formula One at the end of this season, Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner revealed that the team “support” his decision to leave and that his replacement will be decided later in the year.

Speaking in a team statement, Horner said: “I am sure Mark thought long and hard before making what has no doubt been a very difficult decision. His achievements in Formula One are extensive and I am sure he will continue to push hard and build on that record until the end of the season.”

He added that “we support Mark’s decision, he has been an excellent addition to the team since joining us in 2007 and we wish him all the best in the next stages of his career.”

In terms of replacements, Kimi Raikkonen looks to be the leading contender with the Toro Rosso driver pairing of Ricciardo and Vergne also in contention. Red Bull could also bring in their young driver Antonio Felix da Costa.

However in a press release from the team, they revealed that “The decision on who will replace Webber will not be made until later in the year.”

Image courtesy of Octane Photographic

Jack Leslie

Jack Leslie is a freelance motorsport and Formula 1 journalist. He has been part of the Richland F1 team since the very start and made his F1 paddock debut for the website at the 2014 Austrian Grand Prix. Jack also writes for Car Throttle, RumbleStripNews, Formula1Blog, PureF1 and F1 Plus, as well as running a popular blog.